Support for handbags and other articles



A 1951 F. o. CHURCH SUPPORT FOR HANDBAGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed June 22, 1949 IN VENTOR. fl w 41w 0 CA z/az dliwf Patented Aug. 28, 1951 OFFICE SUPPORT FOR HANDBAGS AND- OTHER ARTICLES Franklin 0. Church, Buffalo, N. Y. 7 Application June 22, 1949, Serial No. 100,721

1 This is an invention for support for handbags and other articles.

My present invention relates to a support which may be mounted on and removedfrom a ledge,

such as the edge of a table or shelf and which,

when placed thereon will clamp on said ledge and provide a hook from which articles, such as a handbag can be suspended.

The support may be readily slipped onto the marginal portion of the ledge and when an article, such as a handbag, is suspended therefrom will clamp onto the ledge with a force corresponding with the weight of the article suspended therefrom. When the article is removed the clamping action is released and the support may readily be removed or slipped off the supporting ledge.

In my invention I provide a hook or hook-like element into the bend or bight of which the supporting ledge may .be received. On the part of the hook below the ledge is pivotally mounted a second hook to receive the handle of the handbag, or similar article, and having a cam-like projection extending beyond the pivot or pivotal point. The weight of the article tends to swing the hook downwardly about the pivot and to swing the cam-like projecting portion beyond the pivot upwardly against the lower surface of the ledge, thereby clamping the support tightly on the ledge.

The pivoted hooks are preferably so shaped that they may be swung into substantial alignment when not in use and thus folded into a compactly small size that may occupy a minimum of space when carried inside the handbag.

The hooks may be pivoted together with a pin or by a slot engagement, or in any suitable manner which will permit the lower hook to swing into and out of clamping engagement with a supporting ledge. I

The various features of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention showing the support in position to engage and grip a tabletop or other ledge and to support a handbag;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the hooks folded into compact position;

Fig. 3 is an end View of the folded article taken from the left of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view of another modification of the invention in clamping position;

Fig. 5 is an end view taken from the open end or left of Fig. 4;

4 Claims. (Cl. 248215) Fig. 6 is a section taken through th pin of the support of Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and'3, the support comprises a gripping hook l0 curved to provide a recess or bight l l to receive the marginal portion of a table top or other ledge l2. The upper part I 3 of the hook [0 may rest on the ledge and the lower part I4 extends beneath the ledge and is narrowed or curved to form a neck .l5 at a short distance from the lower end of the hook.

A second hook I6 is provided with a slot '11 to receive the neck portion [5 of the first hook so that it may swing freely thereon.

A handle l3 of a handbag or other article may be suspended from the bight of the hook IS, the hook extending beyond the slot [1 to form a camlike surface H] which swings upwardly against the table top l2 as the hook I6 is swung downwardly by the weight of the handbag until it firmly engages the lower surface of the table or ledge.

With the above arrangement the support will engage the table top with a grip corresponding to the weight on the hook l6, thereby clampin the support securely and without danger of its falling loose or being displaced.

The cam-shaped extension l9 may swing from a position approximately in aligmnent with the lower part of the hook l0 upwardly into the bight within the hook I0 so as to engage and clamp table tops of varying thicknesses.

When not in use the lower hook l6 may be swung upwardly into alignment with the upper hook I 0 as shown in Fig. 2, and when in this position will occupy a minimum of space so that it may be conveniently carried in a handbag.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the support comprises a ledge engaging hook 20 having a flat head 2| to rest on and be supported by the upper surface of the table-ledge l2. From the head 2| the hook 20 extends about the edge of the table to a position beneath the lower surface thereof and this portion of the hook is slit or slotted to provide a pair of spaced hookshaped plates 22 and 23.

A second hook 24, of a thickness to be received within the space between the plates 22 and 23, is pivoted near one end on a pivot 25 at the lower end of the hook 20. The hook 24 is provided with a cam-like extension 26 beyond the pivot 25, and hook 24 may be swung about the pivot 25 into the space between the plates 22 and 23.

as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. In this position the hook 24 is in substantial alignment with the hook 20 to occupy a minimum of space. It may be swung downwardly to the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 4 to receive the handle of a handbag or similar article, and in this position the cam-like extension 26 will be swung upwardly by the weight of the handbag against the lower surface of the table or ledge, clamping the support securely thereon.

Any suitable pivot may be employed but, as indicated in Fig. 6, may be formed on one of the plates as at 22 and heat sealed in the other to anchor the two plates 22 and 23 securely at their lower ends.

The hooks may be made of any suitable mate- I rial, such as metal, wood or plastic. When made of plastic the support is very light in weight and attractive in appearance and sufliciently strong to support the weight of the handbag.

The support has the advantage that once placed in position it cannot be accidentally displaced, being securely clamped by the weight of the handbag. Upon removing the handbag this clamping action is released and the support may be slipped oil the table, compactly folded and placed inside of the handbag. a

It will be understood that the two modifications are shown by way of example and that the invention may be embodied in other particular forms.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An article support which comprises a hook having a .bight to receive a supporting ledge, a second hook pivoted on said first hook below said bight and having a cam-shaped projection beyond the pivotal point to clamp against said ledge.

2. The support of claim 1 in which said second hookis similar in shape and position to said first hook to swing from alignment there with.

3. An article support comprising a hook having a bight to receive a supporting ledge and having a neck near its end below said bight and a second hook having a slot encircling said neck and provided with a cam-shaped extension beyond saidslot to swing into the bight of said first hook when swung in one direction and to swing into alignment with said first hook when swung in the opposite direction.

4. An article support comprising a hook having a head to rest on a supporting surface and having a pair of hook-shaped plates extending from said head in a curve to a position opposite said head, a second hook pivoted between said plates near the end thereof opposite said head and having a cam-shaped extension to swing upwardly toward said supporting surface, said second hook being received between said plates of said first hook when swung into alignment therewith;

FRANKLIN O. CHURCH;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name v Date 274,672 Thomason Mar. 27, 188 3 1,347,009 Burrows July 20, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Number Country Date 2,342 Great Britain, Mar. 1, 1901 

